There is no doubt that when it comes to exotic cars, The Ferrari is the most iconic. Even if it is done subconsciously, we compare every engine rev to the sound a Ferrari makes. As a culture, we dream about driving these cars, about having the money to own one, about how much better our lives would be if we sat behind the wheel…but why is Ferrari so popular, and does it live up to the hype?

     Ferrari and Formula One

     In order to understand the popularity of Ferrari, one must know the company’s history. It was founded in 1928 by Enzo Ferrari, and originally it manufactured only race cars, and sponsored race car drivers. This continued for nearly twenty years, when the first Ferrari road care was produced, but even then, rumor has it that Enzo Ferrari was concerned that people were buying his cars for the prestige of owning a vehicle so closely connected to the Formula One circuit,
than for the car’s ability to perform well.

     In fact, Formula One success may well be the root of the Ferrari’s appeal to the general public. After all, the company debuted in the first year Formula One racing even existed. The Ferrari team won the 1950 Monaco Grand Prix (part of that year’s Formula One World Championship), dominated the 1952 season, and took the championship in the 1953 season, then continued to be highly successful in Formula One racing throughout the next fifty years, and in the early part
of the twenty-first century.

    Today, amidst controversy over budget caps for Formula One teams, there is concern that the series may not be able to even survive without Ferrari’s presence, though Max Mosely, FIA president, said last week that in the Financial Times that,  “The sport could survive without Ferrari.” He added, however, that, "It would be very, very sad to lose Ferrari. It is the Italian national team."

    Celebrity Drivers

    Even people who have zero interest in Formula One racing still love Ferraris, and one of the factors contributing to that love may be the number of  famous Ferrari drivers. Who could forget watching Tom Selleck driving along the coast in Magnum, P.I., for example, or disagree when Top Gear  host Jeremy Clarkson refers to the F430 as his favorite car. And let’s not forget that famous Ferrari fans include celebrities as diverse as Brigitte Bardot, Steve McQueen,
Wyclef Jean, and Seal.

   Clearly, there is a sort of “elite by association” fascination attached to these cars. But do they live up to the hype?

   The 2009 Ferrari F430

   If the 2009 Ferrari F430 is anything to judge by, we think Ferraris are worth the hype, and the price. Here are just some of the features of the new model:

-   Like most Ferraris, it’s largely hand-built.

-   A personalization program that offers 16 exterior colors, 12 leather colors, and eight carpet choices.

-   A nearly-flat back window, which allows the V-8 engine to be seen from outside the car.

-   A specially designed flat underbody which helps off-set the extreme lack of ground clearance.

-   Long nacelles behind the seats in the convertible version extend into the rear deck of the car, flanking the engine-viewing panel.

-   Interior customization options that include a choice of aluminum or carbon fiber inserts

-   A cheery red start button for the engine, with paddle controls for the automatic gearbox on F1 models.

-    4.3 liter V-8 engine providing 490 horsepower (at 8, 500 rpm) and 342 pounds/feet of torque (at 5,250 rpm).

-   Choice of a traditional six-speed manual or six-speed sequential manual transmission.

-   Acceleration from zero to 62 mph in 4 seconds.

      Does all this come with a hefty price tag? Yes. The base model starts at $186,925. Insuring  your  Ferrari also comes with at quite a price. But is it worth it? Is any Ferrari worth it? Consider this: when you buy a Ferrari, you are not paying for a mere car. You are paying for the legacy of more than fifty years of Formula One racing. You
are paying for the legendary drivers who have gone before you, both on the track, and on Hollywood Boulevard. You are also paying for the performance that comes with Italian fine-tuning, and a hand-built car. Finally you are paying for the personalization that makes every Ferrari unique.

   Power. Prestige. Performance. Personalization: These are the things that make us love Ferraris, and these are the reasons such cars do live up to their hype.

See here a few pictures …